Aged just 18, the Berlin-born starlet emigrated to the States in 2006 with his father and, having now acquired citizenship, is just awaiting clearance from FIFA before he can turn out for his adopted nation.

Despite making just two first-team cameos for Arsenal over the past 14 months, Klinsmann is prepared to fast-track him straight into the senior setup, too, telling Goal.com earlier this month: “[Zelalem] is a special case. He’s a special player. I think he’s already at a level that he can definitely play on the senior team.

“Definitely I would like to see him with me first. I want to kind of see how he interacts with the whole group and what level he’s in, and then for the next dates then totally open then to have him play with the U-23s or with [U.S. Under-20 coach Tab Ramos].”

The fact the Germans are lurking will have no doubt provoked Klinsmann's somewhat outlandish remarks but, at the same time, it's also clear that Zelalem boasts huge potential and could become a core part of the US midfield down the road if and when FIFA approve his one-time switch.

Freddie Shires

Freddie is a freelance sports writer, having recently completed an MA in Sports Journalism at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham. With an especially keen interest in all things American sports-related, he has written extensively about the NFL, MLS and the U.S. national team for various sites.